Is a laptop bag part of carry on weight?

Is a laptop bag part of your carry-on weight allowance? Ugh, right? It's the most confusing thing! So, my laptop bag is considered a carry-on, supposedly. Small carry-on, they say. Which, in reality, means wrestling it under the seat in front of me along with my purse. And don't even get me started on the extra baggage fees! Ten kilos for both bags? Seriously? That's highway robbery, I swear. I remember this one time, I was flying back from my sister's wedding in Italy – beautiful, but stressful travel – and I was so close to going over that weight limit. My heart was pounding! I ended up having to frantically transfer a few things into my backpack, feeling like a total luggage Tetris champion, only to be slightly overweight anyway. They just nickle and dime you to death, you know? I wish airlines would just be more upfront about it all. Like, give us a little more space, maybe? Is that too much to ask? A person needs room for their stuff! And maybe a small snack. Or two. It's a long flight, people!